{"podcast":{"title":"Connected By Health","slug":"connected-by-health-7781874","podcast_index_feed_id":7781874,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/605090/rss","website_url":"https://sites.libsyn.com/605090","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/0/a/2/8/0a2804858618d7e216c3140a3186d450/3.png","author":"Krishna Vedala","episode_count":22,"summary":"Connected by Health is a modern healthcare podcast hosted by Krishna Vedala, MD, MPH, MBA, CPE—a board-certified Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine physician, healthcare executive, and innovation leader based in Oklahoma City. This show explores the intersection of clinical medicine, physician leadership, healthcare operations, AI in healthcare, and data-driven decision-making; all with one goal: creating more connected, effective, and human-centered care. Each episode features conversations with physicians, healthcare executives, innovators, and system leaders on: - Internal Medicine & Obesity Medicine - AI in Healthcare & Health Data Management - Physician Leadership & Practice Management - Healthcare Finance, Business Intelligence & Quality Improvement - Operational Excellence & Lean Six Sigma in healthcare Dr. Vedala brings a rare blend of frontline clinical experience, executive leadership training, and systems-level thinking, helping listeners bridge the gap between medicine, leadership, and innovation. 🎧 Connected by Health is for physicians, healthcare leaders, administrators, and anyone committed to building the future of healthcare together. Connect with Dr. Krishna…","last_synced_at":"2026-06-10T22:17:07.292148+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/connected-by-health-7781874"},"episode":{"title":"#10 - Survive and Breathe: A Physician's Journey through Medicine and Cancer","slug":"10-survive-and-breathe-a-physician-s-journey-through-medicine-and-cancer","published_at":"2026-04-27T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/connected-by-health-7781874/10-survive-and-breathe-a-physician-s-journey-through-medicine-and-cancer","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/connected-by-health-7781874","url":"https://3843d0a6-ee19-4b65-a291-8ee3431a2980.libsyn.com/10-survive-and-breathe-a-physicians-journey-through-medicine-and-cancer","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/3843d0a6-ee19-4b65-a291-8ee3431a2980/riverside_brian__krishna___feb_15_2026_001_krishnas_studio_1.mp3?dest-id=5269150","summary":"Host Krishna introduces Dr. Brian Whitson, an experienced pulmonologist with board certification across multiple fields (pulmonary, sleep medicine, palliative care, internal medicine, formerly critical care). Dr. Whitson has practiced predominantly in rural Oklahoma (Enid) for about 31 years and blends clinical care, education, and community service. Dr. Whitson recounts formative experiences: working as an orderly/aid in an osteopathic hospital in Tulsa after high school, early exposure to physical therapy from sports injuries, and mentorship/friend groups in high school that encouraged medical careers. He completed undergraduate studies at OSU, medical school at OU, internal medicine training at Baylor, and pulmonary/critical care training at LSU Shreveport. Dr Whitson explains the practical reasons for pursuing multiple boards: in rural practice one often must fill many clinical gaps; palliative care training improved symptom management (beyond pain control) for nausea, constipation, anxiety and dyspnea; sleep medicine credentialing became necessary to properly interpret studies and prescribe therapies; critical care experience reflected past practice needs (he intentionally let critical care board lapse to avoid ICU calls). Dr Whitson emphasizes that combined training enhanced his ability to treat complex patients holistically. He also discusses the demands and rewards of practicing in Enid: often alone covering broad needs, coordinating with regional hospitals and sleep labs (e.g., Norman Regional), and participating in community organizations such as a local nonprofit hospice (Hospice Circle of Love). He describes efforts to mentor and develop local healthcare workforce (e.g., sponsoring phlebotomy training for high-school grads, encouraging early clinical roles…","meta_description":"Host Krishna introduces Dr. Brian Whitson, an experienced pulmonologist with board certification across multiple fields (pulmonary, sleep medicine, pallia…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2323,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/connected-by-health-7781874/episodes/10-survive-and-breathe-a-physician-s-journey-through-medicine-and-cancer/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/connected-by-health-7781874/10-survive-and-breathe-a-physician-s-journey-through-medicine-and-cancer.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}